This is an original Japanese lacquer presentation tray associated with the 76th Infantry Regiment Machine Gun Unit of the Imperial Japanese Army. The front is decorated with a Japanese Army star, stylized floral and flowing-water motifs, and the large characters “Kokko” at the center. More importantly, the tray is clearly inscribed: “76th Infantry Regiment – Machine Gun Unit” “Commemorative” This makes the military connection unusually specific. Rather than being a generic Japanese Army souvenir, it can be tied directly to a particular regiment and even to its specialized machine gun unit. The 76th Infantry Regiment belonged to the Imperial Japanese Army’s 19th Division and was based in Ranam in northern Korea, then part of the Japanese Empire. The 19th Division was established as part of Japan’s military presence on the Korean Peninsula and was responsible for the strategically important northern region facing Manchuria and the Soviet Far East. During the later wartime period, elements of the division were transferred and reorganized as Japan’s military situation deteriorated. Within an infantry regiment, the machine gun unit provided concentrated firepower and required soldiers trained in the operation, maintenance, and coordinated use of heavy automatic weapons. The fact that this piece identifies the Machine Gun Unit specifically gives it considerably more historical character than a standard regimental souvenir. The reverse bears what appears to be the original owner’s surname: “Kobayashi” This personal name adds another layer of provenance and gives the object a direct human connection to the military organization named on the front. The tray itself is also a fine example of traditional Japanese lacquerware. Japanese lacquer objects were valued for their combination of beauty, light weight, and remarkable durability. Multiple layers of lacquer created a hard, protective surface, making lacquerware particularly suitable for commemorative and presentation pieces intended to be kept for many years. Presentation cups, trays, and similar lacquer objects were commonly produced in prewar Japan to commemorate military service, transfers, unit events, discharge, achievements, and other important occasions. Age-related scratches and surface wear are present, but they also give the piece the character expected of an authentic period object. With its combination of a named regiment, machine gun unit, traditional Japanese lacquerwork, and the possible original owner’s name, this is far more than decorative lacquerware-it is a surviving piece of one soldier’s military world. Own a Piece of History. International Buyers – Please Note.
What did the Japanese military consider dangerous ideas? This is an original. 1939 (Showa 14) “Confidential” training manual. Kempei Yomu Kyotei (Higher Police Draft). Imperial Japanese Army Kempei School. Served not only as the military police but also as one of Japan’s most powerful security organizations. Their responsibilities included counterintelligence, political surveillance, suppression of espionage, and monitoring of ideological movements. Because of these activities, the Kempeitai became one of the most feared organizations in prewar and wartime Japan. This manual was prepared to train officers assigned to. Political and social thought. The Japanese Communist Party. Post-Manchurian Incident security situation. Rather than a general history book, this is a. Showing how the Japanese military itself analyzed political ideology and internal security before World War II. One reason this manual is particularly scarce is that it was marked. And distributed only within the Kempei educational system. After Japan’s surrender in 1945, the Kempeitai was dissolved under the Allied Occupation, and many internal military police documents were destroyed or discarded, making surviving originals increasingly difficult to find today. For collectors of WWII militaria, intelligence history, political history, or Japanese military documents, this is an exceptional research piece that reveals the hidden side of wartime Japan. Own a Piece of History. International Buyers – Please Note. Thank you for your understanding.
Antique Bausch & Lomb Mark VII U. Navy Binoculars – No. Original vintage Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. Military binoculars manufactured in Rochester, New York for the U. Navy Bureau of Ordnance. Binoculars are clearly marked. BAUSCH & LOMB OPTICAL CO. BUREAU OF ORDNANCE U. MARK VII – No. Includes the vintage black leather U. Navy carrying case with shoulder strap. Case is embossed Bureau of Ordnance U. Binoculars show substantial age-related cosmetic wear including paint loss, scratches, edge/brass wear and general surface wear consistent with military use and age. Leather case and straps also show wear, scuffing and aging. Please review all photos carefully for exact condition.
This is an original Japanese memorial photo book published in 1937 (Showa 12). Documenting a special exhibition held one year after the death of. A central political figure assassinated during Japan’s largest domestic military coup attempt. The February 26 Incident (1936). The exhibition was organized by Miyako Shimbun and held at Shirokiya Department Store, Nihonbashi, Tokyo. And this volume records the event through photographs, calligraphy, official documents, and exhibition displays. The February 26 Incident marked a decisive turning point in modern Japanese history. After the incident, overt military rebellion subsided. But the political influence of the armed forces expanded rapidly. Civilian control weakened, fiscal restraint collapsed, and Japan moved steadily toward prolonged war in East Asia. And eventually full involvement in World War II. Takahashi Korekiyo had opposed unlimited military spending and advocated financial balance and civilian governance. His death symbolized the loss of restraint at the highest level of government. This book was produced immediately after that turning point. Making it a contemporary visual record of how Japanese society commemorated the moment when civilian leadership faded and militarization accelerated. Photographs of the memorial exhibition space. Original calligraphy and handwritten documents. Displayed personal artifacts and official records. Period exhibition architecture and visitors. Contemporary explanatory texts by the publisher. Rather than a biography, this volume functions as a historical archive. Capturing how the event was publicly presented and understood at the time. Complete with original covers and contents. Overall very clean and well preserved. Long out of print. Please refer to photos for exact condition details. 225 × 283 mm. International Buyers – Please Note. Thank you for your understanding.
Known worldwide as the “Nelson of the East”, Admiral Togo became a national hero whose leadership marked Japan’s rise as a modern naval power. Upon his death in May 1934, a national state funeral was held at Hibiya Park, Tokyo, on June 5, attended by members of the Imperial Family, military officers, and tens of thousands of citizens. This rare photo set documents that historic day. 7 original black-and-white photographs, printed in 1934. Naval and Army honor guards marching through Tokyo. Cavalry and military bands. Crowds gathered along the streets of Ginza and Hibiya. Portrait of Admiral Togo in full uniform with medals. Comes with the original paper envelope marked. “State Funeral Commemorative Photos of Admiral Togo – June 5, 1934″. Publisher not stated (likely distributed by government or press officials). Admiral Togo’s state funeral was among the most significant in prewar Japan, second only to that of Emperor Meiji. It reflected Japan’s collective mourning and the deep respect for Togo’s contribution to national defense and modernization. The event also symbolized the peak of the Imperial Navy’s prestige before the Pacific War era. These photos not only commemorate the ceremony but also serve as a valuable record of early Showa-period Tokyo, its architecture, clothing, and public sentiment during a time of growing militarization and national pride. Photos: Light aging, slight yellowing consistent with age. Envelope: Minor wear, light creases and foxing, overall well-preserved. Complete set (7 photos + envelope) – authentic vintage original. This is an exceptionally rare primary source documenting the funeral of Japan’s greatest naval hero. Highly sought after by collectors of Imperial Japanese Navy memorabilia. Russo-Japanese War history, and pre-WWII Japanese photography. Own a genuine piece of Japanese naval history – a tribute to Admiral Togo’s enduring legacy. Approximate 7-21days(To USA).
Vintage 1938 US Army JQMD Leather Satchel Bag Dispatch Map Case Brown Pre-WWII. Condition: Fair vintage condition with heavy wear from age and use. Scuffs, scratches, creasing, and surface cracking to the leather; dry and brittle top strap with stretched holes; verdigris on rivets; edge and corner wear; interior is heavily soiled; small seam split/tear near the top flap by the zipper; hardware shows oxidation. Authentic US military leather field/dispatch satchel from 1938. Stamped markings on back: US / J. / 1938 / J. = Jeffersonville Quartermaster Depot; J. Pebble-grain brown leather with dual front buckle straps and zippered top flap. Multiple compartments and snap closures inside; brass hardware and rivets. Material: Genuine leather; Color: Dark brown. Faint additional maker stamp on corner appears to read LENTZ (partially legible). Era: Pre-WWII (dated 1938); Made in USA.
This is an original. 1934 portrait medal of Marshal Admiral Togo Heihachiro. In the same year that Togo died. Togo Heihachiro died on. And was honored with a state funeral. This medal was produced in that same year, making it a period commemorative piece closely connected with the national mourning and remembrance of one of the most important figures in modern Japanese naval history. The front features a finely modeled portrait of Togo in full ceremonial military uniform. The surrounding inscription reads. ? Marshal Admiral, Senior First Rank, Grand Cordon, First Class of Merit, Marquis Togo Heihachiro. The artist’s signature reads. Made by Masakichi Hata. Masakichi Hata was an important Japanese sculptor and medal artist who worked closely with the Japan Mint and played a major role in its medal engraving and sculptural work. The reverse depicts the famous battleship associated with Togo and bears the inscriptions. “Made by the Japan Mint”. The fate of the Empire depends upon this battle. Let every man do his utmost. This phrase is closely associated with the. Battle of Tsushima on May 27, 1905. When Togo commanded the Imperial Japanese Navy’s Combined Fleet against the Russian Baltic Fleet. The reverse therefore brings together four powerful symbols in one design. The original fitted presentation case is also included. Inside the case are the gold inscriptions. “Marshal Togo Portrait Plaque”. This is not simply a later souvenir of Admiral Togo. It is a genuine 1934 commemorative portrait piece created in the very year of his death, when his achievements were being formally remembered throughout Japan. The metal surface shows natural age-related patina, and the fitted case shows wear and deterioration consistent with its age. A remarkable surviving object connecting Admiral Togo, the battleship Mikasa, the Russo-Japanese War, and the memory of the Battle of Tsushima. Own a Piece of History. International Buyers – Please Note. Thank you for your understanding.
This is an official, non-public photo album published in 1929 (Showa 4) to commemorate the Enthronement Ceremony of Emperor Showa. In pre-war Imperial Japan. Was not only the head of state but the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy. The enthronement ceremony therefore marked the formal transfer of supreme military command, making this event a crucial moment in Japan’s military and political history. Nature of the Album. Its purpose was not decorative, but documentary and institutional-to preserve the official record of a national and military ceremony tied directly to imperial authority and command structure. Cover Inscription (Original Text). The gold-stamped cover reads. (Imperial Enthronement Commemorative Photo Album). The album features a cloth-bound cover with gold lettering, typical of formal military and imperial publications of the era. Contents (Military & Historical Value). The album contains a wide range of official photographs and documents, including. Formal portraits of Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun. Enthronement ceremony processions and rituals. Military formations, guards, and ceremonial troops. Security arrangements and controlled urban spaces. Crowds under strict supervision. Detailed map of the Kyoto Imperial Palace complex. Official explanatory texts and event records. The presence of military uniforms, formations, command hierarchy, and ceremonial discipline clearly reflects the emperor’s role as supreme military authority. This is not a simple commemorative book-it is a visual record of state power and military legitimacy in early Showa Japan. The colophon clearly states. Printed: April 15, 1929. Issued: April 17, 1929. Marked: Non-Public / Not for Sale. These details confirm the album as a primary historical source, not a later reproduction. Expected age-related wear is present, including light toning and minor paper waviness. There are no major tears or missing pages, and the album remains fully usable for study and display. For a pre-war military and imperial document, the condition is comparatively well preserved. Summary (For Collectors & Researchers). Emperor Showa as Supreme Commander of Japan’s armed forces. The enthronement as a formal transfer of military authority. A non-public, institutional publication. A rare visual record of imperial ceremony, military order, and state control. Highly recommended for collectors of Imperial Japanese military history. As well as researchers focusing on command structure, state ritual, and pre-WWII Japan. International Buyers – Please Note. Thank you for your understanding.
